Leopard breaks into a house in Satara

A female leopard, aged between 10-12 years, broke into a house in Helgav village in Koynanagar, situated in the district of Satara.

The leopard was found in an emaciated and weak condition by the Maharashtra Forest Department and has been shifted to the Wildlife SOS Leopard Rescue Centre at Manikdoh in Junnar in Pune district for further treatment.

On Thursday night, a female leopard wandered into a house in Helgav village in Koynanagar in Satara, while the family was away for Durga Puja idol immersion and was left in a state of shock after spotting the big cat wandering inside.

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On instinct, they rushed outside and shut the leopard inside the house. The Forest Department was immediately alerted to this emergency situation.

The forest officers conducted the rescue operation and upon seeing that the leopard was in an extremely weak condition, decided to transfer the animal to the Wildlife SOS Leopard Rescue Centre, located 250 km away from the rescue location.

Upon reaching the centre, the Wildlife SOS veterinary doctor conducted a medical examination which revealed a corneal opacity in the right eye and severe wear and tear of the canines, which denoted the old age of the leopard. Moreover, due to heavy rains, the leopard was in a hypothermic state.

“The leopard is estimated to be around 10-12 years old. In order to increase its body temperature, we used room heaters. The blood samples have also been collected and we are waiting for the reports before deciding our course of action and what kind of diagnosis has to be provided. Currently, we have not found any physical injury, inflammation or swelling, and the leopard is able to bear weight on its legs,” Dr Chandan Sawne, Veterinary Officer, Wildlife SOS.

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder & CEO, Wildlife SOS said, “We thank the Forest Department who acted swiftly in bringing the leopard to our rescue centre. Leopards are an inherent part of the ecosystem in Maharashtra, but these big cats are facing severe anthropogenic threats such as encroachment and degradation of their natural habitat, causing them to appear in human habitations. Therefore it is crucial to save every leopard possible. Our veterinary team is highly trained and efficient in handling such delicate situations.”